Gas anchor



Jan. 17, 1939. c. T. ANDERSON GAS ANCHOR Filed Aug. 30, 1937 Patented Jam 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I Charles 1:32:51 citacanr.

11 Claims- This invention relates to a gas anchor for use in connection with a pump in an oil well, the prime purpose of this invention is to separate oil and gas so that the pump will receive quantities of 5 oil exclusively, instead of a mixture of oil and gas.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel gas anchor in which a large and efiective outlet is provided for the oil standing in the tube when the pump is removed for purposes of repair and 10 the like.

Another object is to provide a novel means of expelling sand and other like material from within the gas anchor and while the device is in operation.

15 A feature of my invention resides in the novel floating check within the inner intake tube, whereby the pump will only receive clean oil, and without an admixture of sand.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of the gas anchor in -33 position on a pump, a fragment of the pump and the bottom of the shoe being also shown.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the gas anchor.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 30 the numeral l indicates an outer shell. A nipple 2 is threaded on to the upper end of the shell and this nipple is adapted to screw into, or be otherwise suitably attached, to the shoe or tubing. A cap 4 screws on to the lower end of the shell 35 l, and this cap has a central opening 5 provided therein, the purpose of which will be further described.

A bridge 6 is fixedly mounted in the nipple 2 and this bridge is also provided with a central opening 40 to which the tapered wall I extends. The sleeve 8 extends longitudinally within the gas anchor and is spaced from the shell I to provide an intake chamber 9. The sleeve 8 is seated in suitable recesses in the bridge 6, and in the cap 4, substanti- 5 ally as shown in the Figure 2. When the parts are assembled, the sleeve 8 will be pressed tightly between the cap and the bridge, thus holding the sleeve securely in position.

An intake tube It extends longitudinally so through the gas anchor and the upper end screws into the standing valve ll oI-the pump.

Thus, it will be evident that as the pump operates the oil will be drawn through the tube In, and thence into the pump. The tube extends through I the hole in the bridge land through the hole 5,

and furthermore, the tube fits accurately in these holes so that there is no leakage.

A plurality of intake slots I! are provided in the shell I adjacent the upper end thereof. The sleeve 8 is similarly provided with a plurality of Q ports l3, which ports are misaligned with the holes E2. The tube In is-provided with a plurality of intake holes ll, which again are misaligned with the ports l8. Thus, the incoming oil is drawn first through the slots l2, thence passes 10 downwardly through the intake chamber 9, thence through the ports I8, then upwardly around the tube l0, then into the holes I4, and then up through the tube Ill and into the pump.

The ports [3 are spaced above the bottom of I the gas anchor, so that the space is provided in which sand and other material can settle, as will be further described.

A plurality of springs are mounted on the outside of the shell! for the purpose of 'center- :0 ing the gas anchor in the well. Adjacent the lower end of the tube It, I provide an upwardly seatingvalve l6, which consists of a hollow ball, or a ball formed of some other material which will float on oil.

Ports I! are formed below the seat I8 so that the weight of the column of fluid will pass outwardly through these ports l'l, causing a washing action in the lower end of the gas anchor to keep the sand agitated and also to expell this sand, as will be further described.

A plurality of holes l9 are formed in thesleeve 8, slightly below the ports l1, and these holes. are controlled by the pivoted flaps 20. A pluralityof inwardly closing angular valves 2| are mounted on the cap 4, and these valves control slots 22 and are closed under normal conditions. Whenever sand accumulates in the cap 4, either in the lower part of the chamber 9 or immediately below the valve It, the valves 2| will open and permit the sand to dump out, also, the washing action due to the pump will cause sand to be washed out of the holes l9, and thence out through the slots 22. Relief ports 23 are provided adjacent the upper end of the sleeve 8, a through which gas can escape, the gas then moving out through the intake slots l2. Relief ports 24 are also provided below the valve l6 through which sand or other material can be washed. When the pump II is removed from the well for purposes of repair or the like, the tube It will be withdrawn from the gas anchor, thus opening the hole 5, as well as the hole through the bridge 6. Oil will thus drain downwardly through the gas anchor, effectively drain the ll and shell having intakeports extending therethrough, said shell having slots arranged therein adjacent the lower end thereof, and automatically operating valve means normally closing said slots.

2. A gas anchor comprising an outer shell, a sleeve spaced inwardly from the shell, said sleeve andshell having intake ports extending therethrough, said shell having slots arranged therein adjacent the lower end thereof, and automatically operating valve means normally closingsaid slots, said sleeve having holes adjacent the lower end thereof, and valve means elosable over the holes.

3. A gas anchor comprising an outer shell, a sleeve. spaced inwardly from the shell, a tube extending longitudinally through the anchor and projecting from the bottom thereof, said tube being removable from the gas anchor, said shell, sleeve and tube each having intakeports therein, said tube being closed at the bottom and open at the top.

4. A gas anchor comprising a shell, a sleeve spaced inwardly from the shell, a bridge flxedLv mounted in the shell, said sleeve being mounted between the bridge, and the bottom of the shell,

' a tube extending longitudinally through the gas anchor, said tube projecting from the bottom of the shell, and being removable from the gas anchor, said shell, sleeve and tube each having intake ports therein, said tube being closed at the bottom and open at the top.

5. A gas anchor comprising an outer shell, a sleeve spaced inwardly from the shell, a tube extending longitudinally through the anchor and projecting from the bottom thereof, said tube being removable from the gas anchor, said shell, sleeve and tube each having intake ports therein, said shell having slots adjacent the bottom thereof and automatically operable valve means closable over the slots.

6. A gas anchor comprising a shell, a sleeve spaced inwardly from the shell, a bridge fixedly mounted in the shell, said sleeve being mounted between the bridge, and the bottom of the shell, a tube extending longitudinally through the gas anchor. said tube projecting from the bottom of the shell,

cent the bottom thereof, and automatically opmeans closable over the slots. anchor comprising an outer shell, a sleeve spaced inwardly from the shell, a tube extending longitudinally through the anchor and projecting from the bottom thereof, said tube being removable from the gas anchor, said shell, sleeve, and tube each having intake ports therein, said shell having slots at the lower end thereof, automatically operable valve means adapted to close the slots, said sleeve having-holes adjacent the bottom thereof, and closure means for the holes.

8. A gas anchor comprising a shell, a sleeve spaced inwardly from the shell, a bridge fixedly mounted in the shell, said sleeve being mounted between the bridge, and the bottom of the shell,

chor, said shell, sleeve and tube each having intake ports therein, said shell having slots at the lower end thereof, valve means adapted to close the slots, said sleeve having holes adjacent the bottom thereof, and closure means for the holes.

9. A gas anchor comprising a shell, a sleeve spaced inwardly from the shell, a tube extending longitudinally through the shell, said shell, sleeve and tube each having intake ports there,- and an upwardly closing valve adjacent the lower end of the tube, said tube having holes therein adjacent the valve, said tube being closed at the bottom and open at the top.

10. A gas anchor comprising a shell, a sleeve spaced inwardly from the shell, a tube extending longitudinally through the shell, said shell, sleeve and tube each having intake ports therein, and an upwardly closing valve adjacent the lower end of the tube, said tube having holes therein adjacent the valve, said shell having slots therein adjacent the bottom thereof, and closure means for the slots, said sleeve having holes therethrough adjacent the lower end thereof, and closure means for the holes.

11. A gas anchor comprising an outer shell, a sleeve spaced inwardly from the shell, said sleeve and shell having intake ports extending therethrough, said shell having slots arranged therein 4 adjacent the lowerend thereof, and valve means normally closing said slots, and spring centering fingers on the shell.

CHARI-m T. ANDERSON. 

